Rotary engine.



u 0 9 1|.. 4, D.. E S D E T N E T A P RE. JN YM DN NE An Y TR Wm O CR 3.2 0, 0 O 8 N APPLIOATION FILED JAN.25, 1906.

a sums-amm 1 Glvi hwooeo No. 830,023. EATENTEE SEEE. 4, 1906. c. W.TENDE, JR.

EOTAEY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN-25. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witnesses Uf k I E 'l MW a; attenua? nl: NoRRls PETER: co., WASHINGTON.D. c.

No. 830,023. PATENTBD SEPT. 4, v1906. G.. W` TANDY, JR. RG-TARY.BNG-INE. ABPLIOATION FILED JAN. 25. 1906.

3 sEBTs-SHBBT a Wawy/W77 Uurrlnn sriirns PAFNT OFFlCE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

, Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed January 25, 1906. Serial No. 297,818.

To all, w/wm, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES WILLIS TANDY, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Charlottesville, in the county of Albemarle andState of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRotary Engines, of which the following is a specication.

My invention has relation to rotary engines wherein the piston travelsin an annular chamber or cylinder, the rotation of the piston beingcaused by the admission of the motive fluid behind the piston.

Reciprocatory movement of the abutment where low piston speed isdesirable has been successful because of the ample time a'orded by theabutment movement; but when high-speed engines of this type are desiredthe time period for abutment movement assumes such small proportionsthat the desired operation of the abutment cannot keep pace with thepiston speed. The rapid reversal of movement of the abutment gives useto strains and vibrations in the apparatus, which is a seriousobjection.

My present invention has for one of its objects the production of arotary engine of compact and simple construction and relatively lightweight capable of moving at a high rate of speed with a minimum of jaror vibration and possessing a very high efficiency.

Some of the most important advantages afforded by the use of my improvedrotary engine may be briefly enumerated as follows: an engine in whichevery essential part rotates about an axis vibration reduced; movableparts not reciprocatory, consequently energy saved; movable abutmentcrossing cylinder perpendicularly to path of piston head; abutmentstrengthened by guard-rim, relieving the distortion of centrifugalforce, and engine strengthened by compact-ness.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are designated by likecharacters throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view of my invention cut on the line X X of Fig.2. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my invention. Fig. 3 is across-sectional view cut on the line Y Y of Fig. 2 when the piston-headis opposite its position in said figure. Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofthe admission-valve and valve-chamber, the front wall of the saidchamber being removed, and sectional view of a steamchamber providedwith a steam-conveying pipe which is broken away, which is secured tosaid chamber. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 4 cut on the lineZ Z thereof.

My invention is described as follows: rlhe numeral 1 represents myimproved rotary engine, the annular chamber 2 thereof being made in twoseparate members 3 and 4, each of which is provided with a three-fourthscircular flange 5, provided with a series of perforations 6, andterminates at itslower end in an outwardly-extending base-section. Saidmembers 3 and 4 are secured together by bringing them together in such amanner that their corresponding perforati ons 6 register and the louteredges of their base-sections run in true alinement and employing bolts8. When the two said members 3 and 4 are thus secured together, thebase-sections thereof are necessarily brought together, providing asubstantial, preferably rectangular, oblongshaped base 7, which may bemade stationary with a floor by bolts 9. The inner parts of said chambermembers terminate in oppositely-disposed circular flanges 1 O by'meansof which said members are secured to the outer faces and near the peripheries of two similar connecting members 11, which are oppositelydisposed and are each provided With a central large transverseperforation, said members turning outwardly at their inner parts,providing circular flanges 12, which are oppositely disposed. Saidmember 3 is also provided with a steam-inlet 13 and steam-exhaust 14,the purpose of which will be hereinafter shown.

rlhe numeral 15 represents the main aXis or shaft, which is provided atthat part which passes through the said connecting members 11 with twosimilar integral circular flanges 16. When said shaft is in position,said flanges 16 are in true vertical alinement with with the outer facesof said flanges. A piston 17 is removably secured between and to saidoppositely-disposed circular flanges 16 of said shaft 15 at its centralperforated part. This is accomplished by providing said projections 16and said piston 17 near its center with a series of perforations whichrun around in the form of a circle. The perforations of the piston arecaused to register with said flanges 12, their outer faces being flushlIOO corresponding perforations in said projections 16, and they are thensecurely connected together by bolts 18, provided with the usual nuts19. Said piston 17 is provided with a piston-head 20, which is removablysecured thereto by providing said piston-head with an arc-shaped:integral plate 20 and cutting a corresponding recess 202 in theperiphery of said piston 17, into which the plate 20 is fitted andsecured thereto by bolts 22 or other equivalent means. lSaid piston-head is adapted to work, when the piston 17 is rotated, in an annularchamber 21, formed by the chamber members 3 and 4. Adjustably securednear the rear end of said shaft 15 by means of an integral collar 23,provided with set-screws 24, is a beveled gear 25, which meshes at rightangles with a beveled gear 26, adjustably secured, by means of anintegral collar 26, provided with set-screws 262, near the rear end ofshaft 27, provided with an enlargement 28, by means of which said shaftis journaled in a vertical bearing 29. Said shaft has also adjustablysecured near its front end by means of an integral collar 30, providedwi th set-screws 31, a gear-wheel 32, which meshes with a gear-wheel32', secured, by means of an integral collar 33, provided withset-screws 34, near the front end of a shaft 34, working at its frontend in a vertical bearing 35 and at its rear end in a bearing 36integral with and extending outwardly and. thence upwardly from thecentral front end of said base 7. Said shaft 34 is also provided nearits rear end with a circular flange 37, which is nearly contiguous withthe front face ef said bearing 36. This prevents lateral or longitudinalmovement of said shaft 34', and consequently diminishes the liability ofbreakage and reduces vibration. Rigidly connected in any desirablemanner to the outer face of said chamber member 3 and one of theconnecting members 1 1 is a cylindrical valve-chamber 38, consisting ofside walls 39 and 39', secured together at their inner faces near theirperipheries to a cylindrical wall 40. Each of said side walls isprovided with a central transverse perforation, corresponding indiameter to diameter of said shaft 1 5, and with outwardly-extendingcircular enlargements. Said shaft 15 is journaled in bearings 41. Saidside wall 39 is also provided with a circular transverse perforation 42,in which may be secured one end of a steam-inlet pipe 43. Rigidlyconnected to said main shaft 15 with- .in said valve-chamber 38 is avalve 44, having secured to one end an arc-shaped cut-off plate 45,which corresponds in width to the distance between the inner faces ofsaid Walls 3) and 39 and whose outer face corresponds with the curvatureof the inner periphery of said wall 40 of said valve-chamber 38, andsecured to its other end twosimilar balancers 45, which are preferablyrectangular, oblong in shape, and opposite each other. Said. wall 40 isprovided in its front end with a steamoutlet 46 in the nature of aperforation or slot and has secured to its outer periphery and at itsfront end a steam-chamber 47 provided with a circular perforation inwhich may be secured one end of a steam-conveying pipe 48, the purposeof which will be hereinafter shown. Rigidly connected to said shaft 34by means of a circular integral flange 49 thereof and bolts 50, providedwith nuts 51, is a drive-wheel 52, and secured in any substantial mannerto said drive-wheel is a rotating abutment or cylinder 53, the innerperiphery' of which conforms with the peripllery of said drive-wheel.The inner er open end of said rotating abutment 53 works in a guard-rim54, which is integral at its lower part with said base 7 and extendsaround said abutment continuously. The function of said rim is toprevent lateral inotion of sai d cylinder and to relieve the distortionof the centrifugal force generated when said cylinder is put inrotation. Said open end of said cylinder is also provided with acircular groove in which is placed a frictionreducing agent 54, such aspacking. Said cylinder is also provided with an opening 55. (Shown bydotted lines in Fig. l.) Said piston 17 and abutment 53 are so geared inrelation to each other that the abutment presents its opening 55 at thepoint of intersection of the piston-head 20 with said cylinder andpermits the piston-head to pass. The abutment rotates at right angleswith the path described by the pistoii-head 20 and seals the passing ofsteam. Said abutment is permitted to pass through the chamber members 3and 4, because of an opening provided therein, and the friction thatwould be necessarily generated is reduced to a minimum by the use of afriration-reducing agent 55 in the nature of steam-packing or otherwise.A balancer 56 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) may be rigidly orremovably connected to said shaft 34. While the balancer is shownsecured to said shaft between said gear-wheel 32 and drive-wheel 52, itis not necessarily connected at that particular part of the shaft, butmay be secured to any part of the shaft and in any manner desirable.

The operation of my engine is as follows: Steam is admitted into thevalve-chamber 38 through the circular perforation 42, cut in the wall 3Qthereof by means of said steaminlet pipe 43. It then passes through thesteam-outlet 46, cut in the cylindrical wall 40 of said valve-chamber38, and is then conducted, by means of a steam-conveying pipe 48, tosaid annular chamber 21 through the steam-inlet 13 in said chambermember 3, and acting on said piston-head 20 with pressure said piston 17is caused to rotate, the said head traveling in the said annularchamber. This action of the piston 17 effects the rotation of the mainshaft 15. The beveled IOC) gear 25 thereof meshing with the beveled gear26 puts said shaft 27 also in rotation, the gear-wheel 32, secured nearthe front end thereof, meshing with the gear-wheel 32 secured near thefront end of said shaft 34 and causing said shaft to revolve and rotatethe abutment 53, secured to the rear end thereof by Said drive-Wheel 52.

I claim- 1. In a rotary engine, the combination of two separate andsubstantially similar chamber members 3 and 4, provided each with athree-fourths circular flange 5 and a basev section, and adapted to besecured together and provide an annular chamber 21, provided with asteam-inlet 13 and steam outlet or exhaust 14 and base 7; a piston 17,provided with a removable head 20, which head is made steam-tight withvand is adapted to travel within said chamber 21 a valvechamber 38,secured to said annular chamber member 3; an admission-valve 44,-rigidlyconnected to a shaft 15, and located within said valve-chamber 38; acylindrical abutment 53, provided with an opening 55, removablyconnected at its front end to a shaft 34', provided with a gear-wheel32; a shaft 27 journaled in a bearing 29, and pro- 4vided at its frontend with a gear-wheel 32 and at its rear end with a beveled gear 26;with means for conveying the motive Huid into the valve-chamber, thenceinto the said annular chamber 21, through its steam-inlet 13, behind thepiston-head 20, of said piston 17, under pressure, causing the piston torotate g a beveled gear 25, secured to the rear end of said shaft 15,meshing with said beveled gear 26, secured to said shaft 27, thegear-wheel 32 located near the front end of said last-mentioned shaft,meshing with said gear-wheel 32, connected to the rear end of said axle34, causing said shaft 34 to revolve and rotate the said cylindricalabutment 53, which crosses the annular chamber 21 perpendicularly withthe path described by the piston-head 20, and between the steam-inlet 13and steam-exhaust 14, and seals the annular chamber behind thepistonhead, which head crosses said abutment 53 by its opening 55,substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a rotary engine, an annular chamber 21, formed by the union of twoconcave chamber members 3 and 4, each provided with a threeourthscircular perforated flange 5, and terminating at its lower end in abase-section, and at its inner part in a flange 3 oppositely-disposedcircular connecting members 11 secured at their outer faces and neartheir peripheiies to said chamber members 3 and 4; an axle 15, providedwith two oppositely-disposed circular flanges 16; piston 17 providedwith a removable head 20,

secured at its central part to said flanges 16, and working between saidflanges and said connecting members 11,' a cylindrical abutment 53,provided with an opening 55 with means for putting said axle in rotationand thereby rotate said piston 17, the removable head thereof working insaid annular chamber 21, and crossing said cylindrical abutment 53 atright angles by its opening 55, substantially as shown and described andfor the purposes set forth.

3. In a rotary engine, an annular chamber 21 formed by the union of aconcave chamber member 3 provided with a steam-inlet and steam-exhaust,and a concave member 4 a piston 17, provided with a removable head 20,said head being adapted to work in said annular chamber 21 when saidpiston 17 is put in rotation; abutment 53, provided with an opening 55,movable transversely of and with the piston-head path, with means torotate said piston 17 and abutment 53, said piston-head crossing saidabutment 53 by said opening 55, substantially as shown and described andfor the purposes set forth.

4. In a rotary engine, a valve-chamber 38, consisting of side walls 39and 39, said side wall 39 being provided with a steam-inlet 42, and acylindrical wall 40, provided with a steam-outlet 46,' admission-valve44, provided at one end with an arc-shaped cut-off plate and at itsother end with two similar balancers 45', rigidly connected to saidshaft 15, and within said valve-chamber 38, With means to putsaid shaft15 in rotation, the cutoff plate 45 of said valve 44 passing saidsteaminlet 42 during each revolution of said shaft 15, cutting valve offand opening same almost instantaneously, substantially as shown.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylindrical piston connectedto a shaft and provided with a removable head; annular chamber and baseformed by the union of two similar chamber members, each provided with aHange and base-section; oppositelydisposed connecting members 11,secured to said chamber members; cylindrical abutment, provided with anopening, and connected to a shaft, with means for rotating the pistonand abutment, the head of said piston made steam-tight with and Workingin said annular chamber, and crossing said abutment by an opening, saidabutment rotating about an axis and crossing said annular chamberperpendicularly with the path of the piston-head, substantially as shownand described and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination of an annular chamber 21;connecting members 11; shaft 15, passing transversely through saidmembers; piston 17, provided with removable head 20, connected to saidshaft 5 rotating abutment 53, with means for con- IIC veyng the steaminto the annular chamber name to this speecaton in the presence of 21under pressure behlnd the plston-heztd, two subserlbrng Witnesses. whichhead rotates Wthln the annular chamber and crosses the abutment 53 by anopen- CHARLES WILLIS TANDY JR' 5 ing therein, substantially as .shownand de- Witnesses:

scribed and for the purposes set forth. LUCEY W. SEAMAN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my HERVEY J; SEAMAN.

